Coin holder



July 7, 1953 v H. ,9. BROWN 2,644,471

' COIVENUHOLDER H Fnd Feb. 11, 1,960

I I tI/IA/IIl/l l6 28 INVENTOR. BY HOWARD .5. BROWN H616 Fla. 7 u M Patented July 7, 1953 A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 1 Y 2,644,471 com HOLDER Howard S. Brown, Elyria, Ohio Application February 11, 1950, Serial No. 143,759

Prior, coin-holders have had many disadvah tages. In some of the devices, the insertion and ejection of the coin has been quite diflicult. This stemmed from the fact that the coin retention gates were immediately at the open end and were too stiff. i Moreover, in this type of device the open end was of a substantially semicircular formation in order to cover the coin when in place. This formation increased the difilculty of ejection of the coin since it could not readily be grasped. by thefing ers until moved out beyond the end of the holder at which time the coin was apt to have passed the gate device and to drop out- V Other devices used metal inserts or springs as gate devices. These springs rusted or dropped out and were not satisfactory. V

.The present invention, however, comprehends aunitary plastic structure having an open end formed in a plane normalto. the-lateral edges ,of the device and having a stop formed in the lateral edge spaced from the end to provide a guide for the coin as itis inserted and befor it meets the stop or gate device. V More specifically, and referring to the figures in which:

. Fig. *1 is a top plan'view of a preferred embodiment-ofthe invention; 1 Fig. 2 is a' sectional view taken just beneath thetop covershowing a-variation in the construction; 4

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along-line '3 3 of Fig. 4 is a view correspondingto'Fig. 2 of the embodiment of Figgl showing the position of parts as a coin is ejected;

' Fig.9 is a medial sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 8.

Briefly, the device of my invention is a coin holder. comprising a body part into which a plurality of coins may be inserted. The body ZClaims. (01. 1334s) hasan open end through which the coins are inserted and ejected and which lies in a plane normal to the sides of the device. A resilient stop means is provided somewhat spaced from the end to hold the coins in place and atab for receiving-a key chain or the like is also provided. The key chain may be attached at either end of the body, but if it extends from the open 'end, thechain serves a dual purpose, acting both as a hanger'for the coin holder and as a stop for the coins. j,

More particularly and with reference tothe figures, the device comprises a bodyfo'rmed of a bottom piece I I, a top piece I2, a pair of lateral side walls I3, and a closure for one end I4. The top piece preferably is formed with an opening I5 through which a finger orthumb may be pressed to push the coins through the open end It. The closed end I4 may be formed as a semi-circle to fit the coin more closely and for the sake of appearance.

Preferably, the body is of such size that four coins may be placed therein in two adjacent stacks of two coins each. Thus, the sides I3 and end closure I4 must be wide enough to enclose such a, chamber. The open end is preferably perpendicular to the sidewalls and out in a single plane. That is, the open end. I 6 lies in a plane passing across the body normal to theside walls. This form has the advantage that the rounded edge of a coin may begrasped as it is ejected (Fig. 4) instead of being hidden by a curved edge as has been customary here.- tofore.

The preferred embodiment, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, is formed with a retention or stop device in one of the lateral side walls. It will be apparent that similar stop devices could be formed in both walls if necessary. The preferred retention device is merely a tongue I8 molded in the plastic material of the side wall. The preferred material is polyethylene because of its resilience, but other materialshaving similar characteristics may also-be used. The tongue I8 is curved slightly .(Figs. land 2),to fit'the periphery of the coin and is wide enough to engage both coins in a stack of two when the device is full. Thus, it is effective to hold the coins in the device irrespective of the number of coins left; With the side walls i3 formed as thick as presently contemplated, the single tongue I8 of that thickness is adequate to hold the coins in the holder. However, if the wall thickness is decreased, it is obvious that vthe tongue I8 could be molded somewhat thicker or that a second tongue I8 could be provided. This second tonguie could be formed in the side wall I3. opposite the first, or preferably could be formedin the same side wall but in a position to hold the coins toward the closed end I I 'of the device (Fig. 2). Thus, each tongue l8 holds a stack of two coins, and the force required for ejecting a coin by the thumb is decreased because of the lessened thickness of each tongue l8. Since each tongue is now required to hold only two coins, there is no more likelihood of the coins falling out of the holder.

The tongue I 8 nearest the open end it is spaced therefrom somewhat. This formation makes possible the easy insertion of coins into the device. With prior devices having molded retention means partially covering the open end,

it was necessary to force the coin between the holding means with no guiding whatsoever. Since polyethylene is a somewhat slippery material, the coins frequently slipped away from the entrance and often fell completely out of the hands of the person filling the device. With the present formation a small portion of the end of the body extends beyond the tongue l3. Thus, the coin when inserted is guided into the body of the device and is retained against slipping away by this extending portion.

A tab 20 having a hole 21 formed through it is molded at the closed end, It of the' embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to '7. This tab allows the attachment of a key chain or the like to increase the usefulness of the device.

A slight modification of the device is illustratedin. Figs. 8 and 9. In this embodiment, the bottom piece H is extended somewhat beyond the open end I of the holder as at 22, and a hole 24 is molded in the extended portion 22. Thus, when the holder is hanging from the chain 23 as, for instance, from the ignition switch of an automobile, the coins will be resting against the closure of the end i i instead of against a retention device and will be positively prevented from dropping out. The extended portion 22 is formed with its underside an extension of the bottom piece ii. The upper side tapers to a thickness such that the extension serves to retain the lower coin in the device. The chain 23 serves to keep the,,upper'coin in place. It will be seen that, as a coin is moved out by the thumb, the upper coin of a stack of two will engage the chain above the portion 22 and the lower coin is held by the extension. However, because of the resilience of the material, the extended part 22 will readily flex downward to permit passage of the coin. Since the coins will seldom be resting against this stop means in this embodiment, the holding ability of the stop need not be so great as in the previous device. It will be apparent that the extension 22 could be made sufiiciently thick so that the coins could be held in place by that means alone without need for a chain 23. However, since the primary use of the device is intended to be as advertisingmeans in connection with a key chain, the thinner'means is preferred.

Still another modification is illustrated in Figs. 5 to '7. In this embodiment, the coins are held in the device by a somewhat different type of gate means formed in the top and bottom pieces l2 and H. A ridge 2? is formed on the bottom piece II. This ridge may be of uniform thickness as shown or may taper in thickness being thickest near the open end it of the holder. If of uniform thickness, the ridge serves to hold the coins against the top piece 52, and coins therefore are prevented from sliding by the friction between them and the holder. If the ridge 2! is tapered, the width of the opening at the end l6 may be made narrow enough so that the insertion of the coin.

l6. Without this protuberance which is a part of the retention or stop means, if the coins were to be stacked by twos, a single unstacked coin would fall out However, by use of the protuberance, the opening can be closed sufficiently to hold a single coin while still allowing stacks of two coins to be stored in the body of the device, The tab 2%, although shown atthe closed end M, may also be formed adjacent the open end as described in the second embodiment.

Thus, it is apparent that I have provided a coin holder improved over prior devices because it is easier to insert a coin and remove a coin from'the improved holder than from prior devices.

Having thus described my invention,'I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Iclaim:

1. A coin holder comprising a body portion having a lower wall and an upper wall, said upper wall being formed with an opening therein through which coins may be engaged to move them, said body having one open end and one closed end, a tab extending from said lower wall at said open end, said tab increasing in thickness toward its end to form a stop means for said coins, said tab, having a hole therein, and a chain'disposed in said hole adapted further to hold said coins within said body.

2. A coin holder comprising a hollow body part formed by spaced front and back walls having one end open and the other end closed so as to define a passageway for receiving a coin, a flexible tab integral with and extending in prolongation of one of said walls beyond the open end thereof and having an aperture therein near its end, chain means threaded through the aperture arranged with a portion thereof in the path of said passageway to engage a coin disposed in said body part to hold saidcoin' in said body, said tab being of such length and flexibility so as to permit bending thereof, said chain and aperture being disposed less than the distance of a coin from the open end of the body and said tab being bendable away from said opening and allowing for passage of the coin from said opening beyond the chain. HOWARD S. BROWN.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent Great Britain July 8,1898 

